The scene switches to Syria and to Naaman the commander of the king’s army. We are told of his greatness – great and honourable, a mighty and successful warrior, a mighty man a valour, but, and it was a big but, he was a leper (v1). Syria was a great enemy of Israel and Judah. In 1 Kings 22 they had won a great victory over Israel, and no doubt, Naaman was a very popular man. We are not told if this was a recent illness or he had managed to keep it from his fellows for a while, but sooner or later he would become incapacitated, and it would be obvious. It would have been a devastating discovery for him. So far as I know, he was the only Gentile who was described as a mighty man of valour, unlike Gideon, Jephthah, David and others who were Israelites.
Leprosy started small, and if it was not in a prominent place could be hidden for awhile. However, it would quickly spread and become obvious. It would eat away at the whole body and the person waste away. It was the most humiliating disease for anyone, more so for such a prominent figure.
The answer to Naaman’s problem was the result of one of Syrian’s raids on Israel, a young captive girl, who waited on Naaman’s wife (v2,3) The news had obviously permeated part of the household, perhaps just his wife knew and shared with her maid in one of their personal sessions. This was probably one of the best things Naaman’s wife ever did. Maybe just a casual comment, but I don’t think so, this situation would have been grave and devastating to his family.
This girl, forcibly taken from her home, probably, what we might call a Christian home. We must never underestimate the godly teaching of our children. It can be used by God in the unlikeliest of places – a daughter taken hostage and mourned for every day but used of God to bring hope and salvation to a heathen army commander. Despite her situation, this young girl did not forget her roots. She could have become bitter and vindictive against the one who had taken her captive and away from her home, but she didn’t, and what confidence and faithfulness – “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”
She had confidence that Elisha could heal him!
Naaman was so impressed, that he must tell his master the king. Even that took courage, but needs must, he was desperate. He was clearly very well thought of that the king supported him and sent him with a letter to the king of Israel, Jehoram. However, Jehoram was disturbed, why ask me to heal this man? He thought the king of Syria was looking to cause trouble (v4-7). Not only that but why send a leprous man to me?
Naaman not only took the letter but also gifts, “Ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.” I believe that this was a huge gift, it has been estimated at around £1m value of that day!
Despite the enormous gift, the king was in distress to the point of tearing his clothes. Now when Elisha heard of this, he sent word to the king. He asked why he had torn his clothes, just send him to me (v8,9). In a way he was rebuking the king for his unbelief, hence his words, “Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” The king did not summon Elisha to the palace, which would ave been the usual protocol, but Naaman seemed to waste no time, and went with his horses and chariot to the door of Elisha’s house.
We have another surprise; Elisha sent a messenger to the door with a message. “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” Naaman was clearly insulted. ‘Surely, he will come out and speak to me and perform a great ceremony and hold his hand over my leprosy and call on the name of the LORD his God’ (v10-12). ‘Wash in the river Jordan? There are cleaner rivers in Damascus, the Abanah and Pharpar. Why can’t I wash in them?’ Naaman went away in a rage. This was too humbling for Naaman, he wanted something spectacular.
We can be just the same when God doesn’t work in the way want or expect. However, it is not advisable. He might have been correct about the cleaner rivers in his own land, but they would not have been effective. He had to obey the word of the man of God to be healed, his own plans would not be effective.
Reason prevails (v13)! His servants, who obviously thought much of their master, but it must have taken much courage because Naaman was very angry, came to him and pleaded with him – “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
It was perfectly logical that, being a prominent man, if he was asked to do something ‘great’ he would have done it, but something so simple and even humbling was beneath him. This was very good advice.
Naaman was persuaded, so he went to the river Jordan. Dipping once or even six times would not do, he had to dip seven times as he was told by the man of God, and when he did, his flesh was restored “…. like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” (v14)
Elisha wasn’t even present. It was clearly a miracle of God.
Naaman was obviously grateful as he returned to Elisha and offered him gifts (v15,16). This time he does stand before Elisha. “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.” What a confession! What had happened to him convinced him that Elisha’s God was the only God in all the earth. He was grateful and offered a substantial gift, but Elisha refused it despite urging him to receive it.
Naaman did not press the gift any further, but he asked for two mule-loads of earth. He assured Elisha that he would no longer offer burnt offerings or sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD (v17). Perhaps this was superstition but taking a piece of Israel back home would help him worship the God of Israel. I understand it was a custom to transport holy soil to one’s own country.
Naaman made an unusual request (v18,19), “Yet in this thing may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD please pardon your servant in this thing.”
Naaman was an important officer in Syria and expected to go to pagan temples with his master. He was probably his master’s right-hand man, and much was expected of him. He asked for pardon when he had to go. Some commentators translate this as pardon for his previous idolatry and not future ones. I’m not a Hebrew scholar but I understand that the wording could allow or that. Elisha seemed to leave it to Naaman and the LORD by saying, “Go in peace.” It would probably have been difficult for him to join with a Bible-believing church in Syria.
Gehazi, Elisha’s servant was not very happy with his master’s refusal of the huge gift. He thought that it was a waste, and someone should benefit from the great healing of Naaman, so, he decided to run after him (v20-24). Naaman saw him and stopped his chariot and got down to meet him and asked if all was well. Gehazi said it was and then came a lie – “My master has sent me,” which was totally untrue. Elisha had not, it was purely his own greed and envy. The first lie was quickly followed by the second lie that two young men of the sons of the prophets had come from the mountains, “Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.”
Naaman had brought the gifts for Elisha, and he was pleased to give them, not one but two talents, and he packed the two talents in two bags, with the two changes of clothes. He went further and instructed two of his own servants to carry them ahead of them. This would cause Gehazi a problem. Elisha may see them. It would have been easier if he had carried them, but I’m assuming they were quite bulky and heavy, it was estimated about 120lbs in weight per talent, hence two servants, so, he took them from them as soon as they arrived and hid them in the house and let them go. His actions displayed that he knew he was doing wrong.
He was soon found out, Elisha asked him where he had been. Lie number three – ‘I went nowhere’. Elisha said that he knew he had been to Naaman and what he had done (v25-27). We are not told if God told Elisha or whether it was supernatural knowledge or not, but somehow, Elisha knew and said that his heart went with him and saw Naaman stop his chariot and come to meet him. Gehazi’s greed had got the better of him, but it wasn’t worth it. Elisha pronounced judgment on Gehazi, but not only upon Gehazi – “Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.”
It seemed that Gehazi was allowed to keep the gifts from Naaman, but he also received something else, his leprosy, and it affected his descendants also. What a price to pay for his greed! It was immediate, he went out from his presence leprous, as whiteas snow.
Deception certainly doesn’t pay.
